HuckFinnMoralDilemma

Author:KristianaLee
Datecreated:12/08/20146:40PMPSTDatemodified:12/08/20149:48PMPST

UseAPAStyleFormatForInTextCitationsAndFullReferences(Publications,WebResources,LessonsPlans
Etc.)AndIncludeFullReferencePageAtTheEndOfTheLessonPlan.

VITALINFORMATION
Subject(s) LanguageArts(English)

TopicorUnitofStudy TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnbyMarkTwain

Grade/Level Grade11

Objective Bytheendofthislesson,studentshoulddemonstrateunderstandingofoneofthemajorideas/themesofThe
AdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,byMarkTwainthestrugglebetweengoodandevilinthehumanconsciousness.In
addition,studentswilleffectivelyparticipateinaanacademic,writtendiscussionaboutamoraldilemmaviaanonline
discussionthread.

Summary Duringthislesson,studentswillfirstparticipateinacauseandeffectactivitysurroundingahypotheticalsituation.
Studentswillbepresentedwithastatementandidentifythepotentialcausesandeffectsofthatstatementandcreate
generalizationsaboutthesituationasawhole.

Next,studentswillparticipateinadiscussionsurroundingChapter31ofTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnapivotal
momentinHuck'smoraldevelopment.ThediscussionwillbeintheformatofaNumberedHeadsTogetherSDAIE
strategy.

Forhomework,studentswillreturntothemoraldilemmapresentedtowardsthebeginningofclassandwillparticipatein
anonline,writtendiscussionaboutthatdilemma.Studentswillneedto1)post,2)replyinagreementtosomeoneelse's
post,and3)replyrespectfullyindisagreementtosomeoneelse'spost.

IMPLEMENTATION
W(Where,Why&What) Where:

Bytheendofthislesson,studentswillbeablesynthesizeanswerstothefollowingessentialquestions:

Whatmakesmoraldilemmassocomplex?
Howcaninternaldilemmascontradictournotionsofmorality?
HowdoesHuck'smoraldilemmahelpdevelopthenovelasonelargesatiricalpiece?

Why:

MarkTwain'sHuckFunnisconsideredalargesatiricalworkdesignedtocriticizeracismandprejudicial
thinking.ByreadingandunderstandingHuck'smoraldilemmainChapter31,studentscananalyzehowTwain's
developmentofHuck'sinnerstrugglewithwhetherornottoturninJimcontributestotheoverallmeaningofthe
novel(CACommonCoreState11thGradeStandardforReading2).

What:

Studentswillapplytheirthinkingbyparticipatinginanonlinediscussionaboutanothermoraldilemmaandaresponseto
chapter31.

H(Hooked&Hold) Theteacherwillbeginbypresentingastatementontheprojectorscreen:

"Brendanwasinthirdgradewhenhewascaughtcheatingonhismathquiz."

TheteacherwillaskstudentstothinkofsomepossiblecausesforBrendantocheatonhisMathtest.Someresponses
couldinclude:hefeltpressuredtosucceed,hefeltstupidcomparedwithhispeers,hisparentsofferedarewardfora
positivegrade,hethoughtit'dbeokay,etc.

Asthestudentsoffercauses,theteacherwillwritethosecausesontheboardunderacolumnlabeled,"Causes."

TheteacherwillthenaskstudentstothinkofsomepossibleeffectsofBrendancheatingonhisMathtest.Some
responsescouldinclude:hegotintroublewithhisparents,hegotcalledtotheprincipal'soffice,hegotazeroonthe
test,etc.

Asthestudentsoffereffects,theteacherwillwritethoseeffectsontheboardunderacolumnlabeled,"Effects."

Nexttheteacherwillaskstudentstoconsiderthepriorcausesoftheevent.WhatreallydroveBrendantocheat?Some
responsescouldinclude:heisdrivenbyhisparents'approval,he'sdrivenbyhispeers'approval,hefearsfailure,etc.

Asthestudentsofferpriorcauses,theteacherwillwritethosepriorcausesontheboardunderacolumnlabeled,"Prior
Causes."

Thentheteacherwillaskstudentstoconsiderthesubsequenteffetsoftheevent.Whatwastheeffectsoftheeffects?
Someresponsescouldinclude:helosthisteacher'strust,helosthisparents'trust,hefeltembarrassedand/orstupid,
hehadtotransferschools,hisoverallgradesuffered.

Asthestudentsoffersubsequenteffects,theteacherwillwritethosesubsequenteventsontheboardunderacolumn
labeled,"SubsequentEffects."

Theteacherwillthenaskstudentstoconsiderwhat'sontheboardandcomeupwithaconclusion.Apossibleconclusion

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 forthisstatementisthatBrendanhadmanygoodreasonstocheat,buttheeffectsweren'tverygood.Theteacherwill
writewhattheclasscomesupwithontheboardandlabelit,"Conclusion."

Finally,theteacherwillaskthestudentstomakeageneralizationaboutcheating.Onegeneralizationstudentsmight
makeisthattherearemanyreasonsthatdriveonetocheat,buttheconsequencesarenotworththerisk.

Theteachertransitiontotherestofthelessonbyposingthefirstquestionfordiscussion:Howcantherebegood
reasonstodosomethingbad?Isthatcontradictory?

E(Explore&Experience) Input:

TheteacherwillbeginbyreadingthemostimportantpassageinChapter31ofTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(the
passagerightafterHuckfindsoutthattheKingandtheDukehavesoldJimbackintoslavery).Thepassage(about3
pageslong)detailsHuck'smoralstrugglebetweendoingwhatsocietytellshimisrightturningJiminandreturninghim
tohisowner,MissWatsonanddoingwhathisheartistellinghimthatJimishisfriendandequalsoheshouldprotect
andhidehimfromslaveryandhelphimgainhisfreedom.

Modeling:

Astheteacherreads,sheshouldstopperiodicallytocommentonand/orquestionpartsofHuck'strainofthoughtthat
aresignificant.

CheckforUnderstanding:

Theteacherwillaskstudentstogetoutasheetofpaperandquicklylist:

1. TowhomdoesHuckconsidersendingaletterto?Whatwouldthelettersay?
2. NameonereasonwhyHuckthinksthathelpingJimisasin.
3. DoesHuckactuallysendtheletter?Why?
4. WhatdoesHuckthinkaboutthatleadshimtosay,"I'llgotoHell."

Theteacherwillcollectthepaperattheendoftheperiod.

GuidedPractice:

Theteacherwilldirectstudentsintotheir"NumberedHeadsTogether"groups.Studentsshouldbeingroupsoffourand
eachmemberofthegroupwillhaveanumberbetween14.

Theteacherwilldisplayaseriesofdiscussionquestions,oneatatime.Thequestionsareasfollows:

1. WhymightpeoplehavethoughtitwouldhavebeenbadtohelpJimescape?
2. HuckremembersallthegoodtimeshehadwithJimbeforedecidingnottosendtheletter.Whatdothose
memoriesrevealaboutHuckandJim'srelationship?
3. WhydoesHuckthinkhe'llgotoHellfornotturningJimin?
4. WhatdoyouthinkaboutthefactthatthisisadilemmaforHuck?Areyousurprisedhehastothinksohardabout
it?

Theteacherwillonlydispayonequestionatatime,andinstructstudentstodiscussanswerstotheproposedquestion,
knowingthatanymemberoftheirgroupmaybecalledupontodiscussaloudwiththeclass.

Afterasufficientamountoftime,theteacherwilldrawthestudentsbacktogetherandcallonanumberbetwen14.For
thefirstquestion,letsassumethatthatnumberis2.Then,allnumber2'swillbeexpectedtospeakasarepresentative
fortheirgroup'sideas.

Theprocesswillrepeatmultipletimeuntilallquestionsareproposedandallstudentshavespoken.

Model:

Forthefirstquestion,theteacherwillprovideasampleanswer.For"Whymightpeoplehavethoughtitwouldhavebeen
badtohelpJimescape?",theteacherwillremindthemoftheWebquesttheycompletedsurroundingtheFugitiveSlave
Act.

CheckforUnderstanding:

Asstudentsdiscuss,theteacherwillroamtheroom,listeningtoconversationsandprovidingsupportwhenneeded.At
thistime,theteacherwillhaveaninformalopportunitytomonitorstudents'progress.

R(Rethink,Revise&Refine) Closure:

Theteacherwillwrapupthelessonbyposingonefinaldiscussionquestion:

WhatisthisnovelsatirizingandhowdoesHuck'sdilemmacontributetothesatiricaleffectofthenovel?

Thisquestionwillbeopentoallstudentsandmayrequiretheteacher'sguidancetowardsappropriatethought.The
teachermightremindstudentsthatsatireiscriticismaimedatchangingpublicopinionoraction.Theteachermayhaveto
poseadditionalprompts,suchas:WhatthoughtsoundsstupidinHuck'sdilemma?Sincethat'swhatsoundsstupid,can
weassumethatthat'swhat'sbeingcriticized?Ifthat'swhat'sbeingcriticized,whatdoyouthinkTwain'sintended
changeis?

IndependentPractice:

Finally,theteacherwilldirectstudentstotheonlinediscussionthreadthattheywillneedtoparticipateinovernight.
Studentswillreada1pagearticleonBrendan'sfullstory(fromtheHook),andrespondto3questionsregardinghis
dilemma.Afterpostingtheirownresponses,studentswillbeexpectedtorespondpositivelytoatleastoneother
person'spostandresponsenegatively(butrespectfully)toanotherperson'spost.Aswithanyotherassignment,
studentswillneedtoagree/disagreewithsomethingspecificinthepostandexplainwhy.

Thepromptsforthediscussionareasfollows:

1. DoyouthinkBrendanshouldtrytotalktohisdadagainabouthislyingatthemovies?
2. WhymightBrendanhavehurtbycheatingonhisquiz?
3. Brendan'sdadsaiditwasokaytobedishonestaslongasnoonewashurt.Whodoyouthinkmighthavebeenhurtbyhislyingatthe

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 movieticketoffice?

Attachments:

1. MoralDilemma.docxBrendan'sMoralDilemma

E(Evaluate) Therewillbetwoformativeassessmentscollectedfromthislesson:thequickresponseafterreadingthepassageand
thediscussionpostsandresponsesonline.

Thequickresponseafterreadingthepassagehasstudentssimplyansweraseriesoftextexplicitquestions.Partof
whatI'mlookingforiswhetherornotstudentswerefollowingalongwhiletheteacherwasreadingandwhetherornot
theycanidentifymainideasinapassagewithdifficultlanguage(Southerndialect).Thisassessmentwouldnotbe
graded.

Thediscussionpostassessesstudents'understandingoftheparadoxicalnatureofmoraldilemmas.Thisassignment
wouldbegradedonthequalityandclarityofthepostitself,andthedepthofresponsestoothers.

T(Tailored) ELs:

Theactivity,"NumberedHeadsTogether"isaSDAIEstrategydesignedtoengageandincludeallstudentsin
participation.It'sadiscussionbasedactivity,soELswouldbeforcedtopracticeacademiclanguage/academicdiscussion.
Thenicethingaboutthisstrategyofgroupinganddiscussionisthatallstudentshavetheopportunitytothinkand
collaboratebeforebeingcalledonsoallstudentscanfeelconfidentwhenaskedtoanswer.Thiswilllowertheaffective
stresslevelofthestudentsanditwillgivetheELsachancetolearnandpracticethevocabularyneededforeach
responsebeforeactuallybeingaskedtoproduce.

SPED:

Thecheckforunderstandingafterreadingthepassageisdesignedtoscaffoldtheideasforbothstudentswithlearning
disabilitiesand/ormemorystrugglesandELs.Byaskingbasic,textexplicitquestionspriortoaskingevaluative
questions,theteacherisgivingstudentsabaseknowledgethattheycanuselater.Whenthinkingcriticallyand
analytically,studentscanreferbacktowhattheyalreadyknowfromthetextitself.Leveledquestioningisgenerally
helpfulforallstudentsbutit'sparticularlybenefitialfortheSPEDandELpopulations.

GATE:

Indiscussion,Iwilloffer1pointextracreditforanswers/commentsthat"wow"me.Inordertogetthat1pointofextra
creditontheirparticipationgrade,studentswillhavetoexpressacommentthathassignificantdepthofthought.Making
thisextracreditavailablewithencourageadvancedstudentstostayengagedintheconversation.Inaddition,Imight
designatemymoreadvancedstudentsasthegroupleaderwhenIsetuptheNumberedHeadsTogethergroup.The
groupleaderwouldberesponsibleforkeepingthegroupontaskanddirectingdiscussion.Givinganadvancedstudent
responsibilitycanalsoincreasemotivation.

O(Organized) Thislessonwouldtakeplacerightafterreadingthe31stchapterofTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnandafter
completingaWebQuestaboutracism,moraldilemmas,andtheFugitiveSlaveActandhowthosethemesandmotif
relatetothenovel.Studentswillbegettingclosetofinishingthenovel,sostudentswouldbetakinganobjective,
summativeTestonthenovelsometimeinthefollowingtwoweeks.Inaddition,studentswillbeaskedtowritea
summative,inclassessayaboutthepresenceofcontradictionsandparadoxesinthenovelandhowthose
contradictionscontributetotheconfusioninmoralityinHuck'sconsciousness.

MATERIALSANDRESOURCES
InstructionalMaterials Attachments:
(handouts,etc.)
1. MoralDilemma.docx

Resources
Materialsandresources:
Laptop
Projector
ProjectorScreen
Canvas(LMS)fordiscussionthread
iPadsforstudentstocompletethediscussionthread

STANDARDS&ASSESSMENT
Standards CACaliforniaCommonCoreStateStandards(2012)
Subject:EnglishLanguageArts&LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies,Science,andTechnicalSubjects
Grade:Grades1112students:
ContentArea:EnglishLanguageArts
Strand:ReadingStandardsforLiterature
Domain:KeyIdeasandDetails
Standard:
2.Determinetwoormorethemesorcentralideasofatextandanalyzetheirdevelopmentoverthecourseof
thetext,includinghowtheyinteractandbuildononeanothertoproduceacomplexaccountprovidean
objectivesummaryofthetext.

Assessment/Rubrics

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